News

'Sound Check Ireland' reveals attitudes to hearing loss

Sound Check Ireland, a nationwide roadshow that is travelling around the country providing free hearing screenings, recently visited the Over 50’s Show at Cork City Hall.

The Sound Check booth, which was stationed at the event for the duration of the weekend, offered people the opportunity to avail of complimentary hearing screenings, as well as the chance to speak to a qualified Specsavers audiologist. Representatives from the Hearing Centre at Specsavers Cork City Centre were in attendance throughout the weekend.

Survey Results

A survey, conducted at the event, revealed that of the respondents that suffered from hearing loss, over half of them (54%) had still not done anything about it, while a staggering 88% of respondents were not aware that hearing loss can be an early detector of dementia. A further 66% revealed that they were not aware that hearing loss can lead to depression.

Removing the Stigma

Hearing director at Specsavers Cork City Centre, Rory Perry says, ‘The presence of the Sound Check Ireland booth gives us the opportunity to remind people about the importance of looking after their hearing. We need to remove the stigma associated with hearing loss, in the same way as has been achieved with glasses.’

In addition to being experts in eye health, Specsavers also specialise in hearing with on-site hearing centres managed by qualified partners and staff. This offers an alternative for the 44% of respondents who said they would visit their GP to have their hearing checked, which would incur a cost for the patient.